Climbing the Wall
by kst1233
Summary: This is the first time I have ever written anything for TNA. This short ficlet is the result of watching Obsession.


"You shot him! You shot him!"

"What if it had been me? What would you have done?"

"I don't know. God help me. I don't know."

Gambit paced the floor, his mind unable to focus on those misspoken words over and over again. How could he have been so cruel and callous as to try and justify to her what he had done.? He had regretted his questions the second she had walked away, tears streaming down her face. He had wanted to go after her, to apologize, to hold her and comfort her, but Steed stopped him before he could take a step.

"She needs a little time alone. Let's do what we have to do here and then fetch her and take her home." Steed said, so both men, keeping their eyes on the retreating figure spent the next half hour tying up loose ends. They watched as she kept walking to the point where she almost dissapeared from sight. Fortunately, Gambit could just make out her figure sitting near the edge of the trees. She was too far away to tell if she was turned towards them or not, but at least he could see her.

"Go ahead and fetch her. I'll put her motor bike in your car." Steed said as he started to turn away.

"Perhaps you should go. I don't think she wants me near her right now. Besides, her motor bike won't fit I don't think. We'll have to send someone around for it." Gambit knew Steed would see right through his excuses, so he was surprised when Steed nodded.

"You're right. It might be better if I go. Maybe while I'm gone you can find a way to make it fit." Steed gave him a look and walked off towards the lone figure.

While Steed went off, Gambit wrestled with Purdey's bike, trying to make it fit without having to lower the back seat. After several futile attempts, he gave in and lowered the seat. It would mean that unless Steed sat in the middle, she would be sitting between them. It was going to be a very long, very uncomfortable ride, both physically and emotionally, home.

* * *

Purdey gently lay the photograph face down. Everything felt so surreal right now. Time had seemed to go so very slowly since she had seen Larry face to face again for the first time since she had left him. But after watching him being gunned down by Gambit, time seemed to speed up so fast that the past few hours were just a blur of sounds and colors in her mind with the occasional sharp image appearing out of nowhere, causing a painful lump in her throat and an ache in her chest that just didn't want to go away.

Her phone rang and for just a minute she was tempted to let it ring. She was afraid it might be Gambit and after what had happened, she wasn't ready to talk to him just yet. But if it was Steed, and she didn't answer her phone, she knew he'd send Gambit around anyway to check on her, so either way she would be stuck.

"Hello?" she whispered, unable to make her voice louder around the lump.

"Purdey? How are you doing?" Steed's voice came through the ear piece.

"I don't know." she said honestly. She really didn't know. At this very moment, she felt as if she were on the outside looking in.

"Would you like some company for an hour or two? I would like to talk to you."

"Just you?. She hoped he would say yes. She just couldn't find the nerve to face Gambit just yet. She needed time.

"If you insist."

"All right then. I'll put some tea on."

"Are you hungry? I can bring some dinner if you like."

"I'll make us something. When will you be here?"

"Half an hour. Good bye Purdey."

She hung up the phone and picked up the photograph. Keeping it face down, she put it back in the drawer she had pulled it out of days before. She couldn't look at it now and maybe with it put away, she wouldn't think so much either.

* * *

Lost in thought, Steed drove slowly to Purdey's flat, feeling a small niggle of self-doubt about going there so soon. But Gambit's call to him an hour ago made him think that it was better to talk to her now, then allow her to dwell too much on the day's events, thereby ruining what was an excellent relationship between his two younger colleagues. The wounds needed to start healing now, and who but he could apply the proper bandages?

* * *

Gambit felt guilty about leaving what was a personal matter, up to Steed. He needed to be the one to go to her, beg her for forgiveness, comfort her while she was in such horrible pain. But what if she rejected his offers? What if she rejected him?

* * *

As Purdey stood in the kitchen, cutting up vegetables for the omelette's she was making for Steed, she thought of Gambit and for a brief moment wished it was he who was coming to her. She wanted to talk to him, to tell him she understood why he shot Larry and that yes, she would have done the same if it had been him.

Hot tears wet her eyelashes as she thought about the hurtful words she had said to him earlier, about the silent car ride home where she sat rigid between him and Steed, avoiding any contact with Gambit whatsoever.

She needed to talk to him. Needed to tell him before hurt feelings could build up and never be broken. But what if he didn't want to hear it? What if she had done too much damage already?

She put the knife down and covered her face in her hands.

"Oh God Gambit. What have I done?"

The knock at the door startled her. Quickly she wiped the tears from her eyes and then wiped her damp hands on a towel before slowly going to the door.

"Whatever Steed has to say, don't ignore it. Listen to him. You can't afford to lose one of the last friends you have who understands what you are going through right now." She thought to herself, promising herself to go see Gambit after Steed left. It would be the last wall she would have to climb.

Forcing herself to relax, she opened the door. With a sharp cry of pain and sorrow, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing stormily against his shoulder.

Gambit held her close to him, smiling gently as he heard Steed's car pull away.

Steed didn't stay. Purdey and Gambit could help each other over the wall without him.


End file.
